Various Thoughts from a Catholic husband, father, and software engineer

Friday, March 29, 2002

WHY I FAVOR WOMEN IN THE PRIESTHOODIn some of my posts, I have made passing reference to my belief that women should be ordained. I do not peddle this as a solution the the current scandals, it's something I happen to believe deeply. I really don't think one has to do with the other. But Novak's article led me to express my beliefs more clearly.

I don't beleive the Church is misogynist or is an "oppessive patriarchy." I simply recall Jesus's belief that you should not put a light under a bushel. If women are being called to the priesthood, and the Church won't let them, then we're putting bushels over lights, and that's wrong. I find this much more compelling than the beleif that Jesus intended for an all-male priesthood because tha Apostles were male. By this logic, all priests must also be Jewish.

But women have many other oppurtunites for service in the Church, some say. And this is true, but it is not a compelling argument for excluding them from this ministry, if they are so called.

Regardless of the "priest shortage", regardless of the current scandals, I think it is wrong to tell people that they cannot serve the Church as they feel called to because of their sex. We may be costing ourselves many wonderful priests by continuing this policy.